Insect-destroyer.



UNI D STATES GEORGEWaDARNELL, OF NEAR EDNA, TEXA S.

rnsscr-ions'rnovnn.

No. S84,319.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed December 18, 1907. Serial No. @072004.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE W. DARNELL,

a citizen of the United States, and a resident near Edna, in the county of Jackson and State of Texas, have invented a new and Improved Insect-Destroyer, ofwhich the following is a full, clear, and exact description. This invention relates to insect destroyers, and more particularlyto devices of this character intended for the destruction of boll weevils and the like. An object of the invention. is to provide a {'simple, strong and efiicient insect destroyer, by means of which the insects can be removed, from vegetation and destroyed, and which does not interfere with the ordinary cultivation of the vegetation and does not injure the same in any way. A further-object of the invention is to provide a device of the class described which can be operated in a field of growing vegetation,

which removes the insectsfrom the vegetation and destroys the insects removed as ing drawings forming a part of this specificat1on,- n which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views,

and in which Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of the in sect destroyer on-the line 11 of Fig. 2; Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of the device showing a part in cross-section; and Fig. 3 is a plan view of a detail.

Before proceeding to a more detailed explanation of my invention, it should be understood that the same is particularly useful in freeing cotton plants from boll weevils, though it can be advantageously used in connection with plants of different kinds, in order to free the same from insects. It is of courseimportant not only to remove insects from the vegetation, but as well to destroy the embryos or germs of the insects before they reach maturity. My insect destroyer is simple in operation and in no way tends to injure the growing vegetation or to interfere with the ordinary cultivation of thesame. The device agitatesthe vegetation in such a manner that the insects thereupon are;

shaken loose and-fall into proper receptacles filled with a destroying agent suchas kerosene or black oil. It will be understood that any other material suitable for the purpose can be employed with equal success. At the same time, parts of the device in sliding upon the ground underneath the plants crush the bolls or pods which have fallen from the vegetation, and thereby destroy the growing germs of insects within the bollsor pods.

Referring more particularly to the draw ings, I provide a wheeled frame 1 having a transverse axle 2 upon which are journaled the supporting wheels The axle between the wheelsis upwardly offset and has rear- Wardly projecting carriers 4. A yoke 5 is se-v cured to the axle and extends from the same in aforward direction. The frame has shafts 6 by means of which a draft animal can be attached thereto, and a seat 7 for the operator. It will be understood that the in sect destroyer can be propelled in any suitable manner, and that the details of construc tion of the wheeled frame can be altered to suit convenience or individual preference. The extremities of the yoke 5 extend rearwardly beyond the axle and have pivoted lubly arranged a roller 9. The sides of the yoke at the front of the axle carry similar hangers 8 between which is revolubly arranged a similar roller 9*. The rollers depend from the frame at a'suit'able height above the ground, for a purpose which will appear hereinafter. a pair of depending supports 10, which are secured to the top of a pan carrier 11, preferably of an inverted U-form. The ends of the sides of each carrier 11 are mounted at projections 12 of a pan 13, serving to contain the destructive agent such as kerosene or black oil. The pans 13 are arranged at both sides of the rollers 9, 9 and have the forward ends outwardly tapered as is'shown most clearly in Fig. 3. The bottoms of the pans arcinc li-ned upwardly toward the center of the device, to permit the pans to slide along the ground at the sides of earth rows upon which the vegetation grows, as is shown. most clearly-tin Fig. 2.

walls or partitions l4, securely mounted in position by means of screws or bolts 15.

. Theinsect destroyer is operated by propelling it along the rows of vegetation so that a pan 13 travels along the ground at each Patented April 7,1808.

thereto hangers 8, between which is revo- Each of the carriers 4 has.

At the outer longitudinal edges the pans have substantially upright side of the plants. The rollers 9 come into contact with the plants and agitate the same,

thereby causing the insects to fall from the plants and to be caught, to alar e extent, by the pans 13. These are filled with kerosene, black oil or the like, and the insects which come in contact with the liquid are speedily killed. The walls 14 serve to prevent the escape of the insects in an outward direction, and cause the same to fall into the ans. As the latter slide along the ground, t iey crush the bolls or seed pods lying thereupon and thus destroy the embryos or germs of the insects.

My invention is particularly applicable-to the clearing of cotton plants from boll weevils, as these insects easily fall from the plants when the latter are agitated in a manner other than that due to the wind.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. An insect destroyer, comprising a frame adapted to be propelled along the ground, means for agitating vegetation, and pans mounted under said means and arranged to slide upon the ground to crush insects, seed having the ottoms inclined fromone edge to the opposite edge, and being adapted to 'contain an insect destroying substance.

2. An insect destroyer, comprising a frame adapted to be propelled along the ground, means for agitating vegetation, and

pods, bolls and the like, said pans pans supported by, said frame and havin the forward'ends outwardly tapered, sai pans having the bottoms inclined upward toward the inner edges and being adapted to contain an insect destroying substance.

3. An insect destroyer, comprising wheeled frame, hangers depending from said frameand-having means for agitating vegetation, and pans carried by sald hangers and adapted to contain an insect destroying substance, said .pans being arranged to slide along the ground and having'at the outer edges, walls extending upwardly to a point. above said agitating means, said pans having the bottoms inclined upwardly toward the adjacent edges.

4. An insect destroyer, comprising a Wheeled frame, members depending therefrom and serving to agitate vegetation, and pans supported by said frame and having the forward ends outwardly tapered, said pans being adapted to contain an insect-destroying substance and having the bottoms inclined u wardly toward the inner edges, said pans irtherhavin at the outer edges walls extending upward y to. a point higher than the agitating members.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribin witnesses. i

EORGE W. -DARNELL.

Witnesses:

T. S. MAURITZ, P. MAURITZ. 

